Ravens thank Ottawa Champions for World Series support

OTTAWA (Nov.1.2018) –

It was a hectic four days of university championship baseball but, by all accounts, the 2018 Canadian University World Series (CUWS), hosted by the Carleton University Ravens, was an event none of the participating teams will soon forget.

This was in large part because of the contributions of dozens of volunteers who worked as ushers, concessions sales staff, scoreboard operators, announcers, or diligently tracked statistics one a game-by-game basis.

The games took place at RCGT Stadium from October 18-21 and drew rave reviews from visiting players and coaches. Some were already well aware of the award-winning field surface as Carleton hosts Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association (CCBA) Northern Conference teams at RCGT Stadium for all of its home dates in September but the major difference during the CUWS was the involvement of the CAN/AM league’s Ottawa Champions.

“The Ottawa Champions, and particularly Davyd Balloch, made this into a big-league event” said Carleton baseball President George Rigakos. “They opened the facilities to us in a manner that helped showcase what a gem this ballpark is.”

The Champions, who hold the lease for the Stadium, donated access to the locker rooms, batting cage, umpire room, Athletic Therapy lounge, a first-aid room where volunteers warmed up, as well as use of the broadcast facilities and scoreboard.

“They even allowed travelling parents and spectators use of the Hal Lanier restaurant on the coldest October evening to keep them warm” adds Rigakos. “That’s a class act.”

While Carleton eventually bowed out in a close semi-final match against McGill, the Ravens players went away with many positive memories.

“I don’t think that our student-athletes will soon forget their clubhouse access to the visitor’s locker room” said head coach Andre Robidoux. “It was a big deal for all of us.”

While the CCBA is contemplating the idea of a permanent site for the CUWS which may end up in Ottawa, Rigakos stopped by RCGT Stadium to present Balloch with a commemorative SamBat – the official bat of the CCBA – to thank him and the Ottawa Champions for their support.